Emcomm exercise in Malaysia

The 'battery only' power training exercise in Malaysia last Saturday, aimed at passing messages and testing day-time propagation paths, involved around 30 radio amateurs who were assisted by five shortwave listeners.
IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee's Johnny Tan 9M8DB noted that some drove 800km from Kuching to Miri for the exercise that tested paths between west to east Malaysia, and most certainly prepared everyone involved for disaster communications.
The emcomm message handling exercise on voice was a success. Due to some missing connectors lost in transportation the use of PSK31 had to be postponed to a later date.
However Johnny 9M8DB said an officer from the Malaysian Commission for Multimedia and Communications (MCMC) Gidah Menon 9W2GM was very impressed with the ability to conduct the training and to achieve the results.
Propagation between West Malaysia and East Malaysia proved to be best on 20 metres, but not as good on 40 metres and 15 metres. The Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) exercise proved to be a great success with the low slung wire antennas.
The three battery-operated remote sites were about 50km away by road from the Miri Operations Centre which was operating on 5 watts PEP and using NVIS antennas.
The event assessors, the MCMC officer and two senior Malaysia Amateur Radio Transmitters' Society (MARTS) members gave the exercise high marks overall.
This was based on the speed at which the three teams located and accessed their remote sites given GPS coordinates only, installation of the antennas, general station setup and the efficiency of message handling.
More exercises will be organised giving more people the chance to be involved with special emphasis on the efficiency of message handling.
Those involved were:
In Miri, Shaheedan Bin Abdul Wahab 9M8MBB, Iqbal Abdollah 9W8IQA, Rolan Noel Brooke 9W8ICE and Johnny Tan 9M8DB. They were supported by SWLs Amri Bin Hj. Azmi, Ahmad Maulana Bin Mohamed Jadit, Empari Hong, Leitim Binti Andau, and Sylvester Anak Rendah.
In Kuching, Liew Chung Haw 9W8CH, Alan Ming Addie 9M8MA, Pung Tiong Seng 9W8PTS, Keith Kong 9W8KIF, Saimi Bin Haji Suhaili 9M8MET, Daniel Vong Wei Liang 9W8VWL, Allpa Mohamed 9M8ADX, Aldrin 9M8WAT, Wong Kong Fui 9W8WKF.
In West Malaysia at the MARTS 9M4CMN Clubhouse, Segamat, Johor, using a Kenwood TS450, Triband beam, mono band 15m 2-element homebrew, NVIS dipole, and equipment such as a generator and battery on standby, were:
Chai Chuan Tat 9M2VAV, Choy Chee Keong 9W2PCK, and Abu Zuhair Abu Hanipah 9W2ZSJ.
At Pantai Seri Tujuh, Tumpat, Kelantan, an IC706Mk11g, FT817ND fed a delta-loop on 15m and NVIS on 40m, involved:
Wan Abd Rahim Bin Wan Ibrahim 9M2ART, Azuddin Bin Ab Rahman 9M2CIO, Ahmad Azam Bin Muhammad 9W2AEC, Zulkharnaim Bin Zahari 9W2CZK, Mohd Aswari Bin Lah@Abdullah 9W2BW, Ivan Leow Hun Lin 9W2IVA, Ng Seng Thong 9W2KZT, Ab.Llah Bin Hamat 9W2AKL, Zawawi Bin Ismail 9W2TWI, Muhamad Helmi Bin Abdullah 9W2GBD.
From MARTS were: Hj. Aris Benawi 9M2IR, Deen Atan 9M2DA, Ahmad Sabri Saad 9W2SQ, Hj. Zulfadzli Hj Ahmad 9W2ZF.
Jim Linton VK3PC Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/september2013/emcomm_exercise_in_malaysia.htm#.UjnaRNJkPEg